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Luke Macadam Period 3 Mr. Chapin The Battle of Saratoga Intro: During the American Revolution many battles were fought between the British and the Americans. Going into the war America was the underdog and everyone expected Britain to crush us however some key battles turn the minds of many. As opposed to the British army, America only had militias from states that were volunteers that didn’t have any prior military experience. This put America at a disadvantage in the war, however even with all of this working against them they managed to pull out an overall victory that consisted of multiple smaller victories such as the victory at Saratoga. Saratoga was an American victory that some would argue changed the war completely in the American favor. Not only was it a huge victory for the Americans but also it took place in a large northern state, New York, and it convinced the French to join the American cause. At the time of Saratoga the Americans needed a victory to boost moral across the colonies. This helped more to join the cause in addition to the French. The French proved, later, to help the Americans tremendously and could have been the reason for the American victory. Saratoga in a way was the most influential battle in the entire war and if it had not been won the American Revolution could very well have failed entirely. Facts: The reason it all started was a strategic plan by the British to control upstate New York and separate it from New England. This battle that consisted of two small encounters that were a few days apart happened in Saratoga, New York on September 19, 1777. The Americans were lead by the great General George Washing, Horatio Gates, and Benedict Arnold and the British were lead by General Burgoyne. The first attack was a win for the British but when Arnold led a second attack he was victorious in capturing key points and moving the British back to Saratoga at which they surrendered days later. The British forces were about 8,000 in number moving into the American camp from the north. Horatio Gates was about 12 miles away from Saratoga with 12,000 troops waiting to attack and he was receiving reinforcements every day. The British attacked in three columns, the first two through the heavy forest, and the third went down the river road. After the first attack by the British, General Burgoyne’s army was down to about 5,000 troops. Moral: The Americans started the war off a little shaky with a few small victories but no major wins. They finally came out with a very great victory at the battle of Trenton and soon after the victory at Saratoga, which boosted the American spirit and sparked patriotism across the colonies. The Americans won the next five major battles being, Monmouth, Vincennes, Cowpens, Guilford Courthouse, and Yorktown thus concluding the American Revolution. A boost in spirit really took them a long way and it showed the French how patriotism can effect a country which led them to join the cause and to try a revolution themselves later on. The French: “The American victory in the Battles of Saratoga helped to induce the French to recognize American independence and to give open military assistance, thus marking a turning point in the uprising and making possible its ultimate success.” (Battles n.p). The French played a big role in the victory of the Americans in the war. It is very possible that the Americans wouldn’t have won without the French’s help. Things that caused the French to join with the Americans were to exact revenge on the British for the loss they had in the Seven-Years War, and because they didn’t want the British Empire to grow too big. Benjamin Franklin was the ambassador to France and he negotiated terms to get France to join. After their navy was built up and after the victory at Saratoga, France was ready to join the cause. The French spent about 1.3 billion dollars in the support of the Americans in weapons, navy, soldier, and food. They gained practically nothing from the victory except a revolution of their own. 1st Attack: General Burgoyne began his attack southward but was stopped 10 miles below Saratoga. It is called the Battle of Freeman’s Farm and it took place on September 19, 1777. The American militia groups tormented the British forces in the woods by cutting down trees in their path and killing the Native American guides. The patriots were used to the rugged forest and they knew their way around and how to fight on that sort of battlefield. They would attack with their long-range weaponry and pick off troops and officers from far off trees. The Virginian sharp shooters were deadly with the accurate new rifles. The Americans killed two British for every one patriot. 2nd Attack: The second battle, the Battle of Bemis Heights, was on October 7th. The colonial forces encircled the German and British forces in an open field. In an attempt to get out of the encircled death trap in the open field, the patriot forces decimated the British and German troops till their defeat. Benedict Arnold served in this battle taking a wound to his knee and later received a statue in his honor. The Victory: The victory caused General Burgoyne to pull out of the north. He surrendered on October 17, 1777 to General George Washington and the colonial army. This victory was an essential point in the revolution, springing the colonial forces forward and bringing the French into the war. This victory was the biggest turning point of the entire revolution and the colonists could detect the magnitude right away. “These crucial colonist victories at the Battle of Saratoga persuaded the French to support the Americans with military aid, and is considered the major turning point in the American Revolution.” (Louise). Turning point: If the colonists hadn’t won this battle then it is almost inevitable that they wouldn’t have won the war. There were other essential battles throughout the war such as the Battles of Trenton, the Battle of Yorktown, the Battle of Cowpens, however none of those had the profound affects on the war as a whole. All of the different victories in the war boosted moral and patriotism however this particular battle gave more hope to Americans. They knew that French assistance was a vital priority if they wanted to win their independence. Should they have lost the battle, the French wouldn’t have given assistance as quickly and therefore allowing the British to plan more strategic attacks and take the colonies from the north down. Basically our independence and our future as a country was on the line with this one battle at Saratoga. Works Cited "The Battle of Saratoga." The Battle of Saratoga. N.p., 1999. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. . "Battle of Saratoga." History.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. . "The Battle of Saratoga." U.S.History.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. . "Battles of Saratoga." Britannica. Britannica School, 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. . Louise, Frederika Charlotte. "The Defeat And Surrender Of Burgoyne German troops." Battle of Saratoga. N.p., 2000. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. . Urwin, Gregory J. "Battle of Saratoga." World Book Online. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. World book Online. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. . "Victory at the Battle of Saratoga." Library Of Congress. Library Of Congress, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. .